Margate, NJ voters spoke clearly when voting on a referendum that they do not want to participate in a dune project. ? Governor Chris Christie has not taken well to Margate voter sentiment and directed his Attorney General to strong arm Margate’s elected leaders in to joining the Dune Project. ? Despite increasing state pressure, Margate continues to heed the will of its voters and is staying out of the dune project.
A recent Downbeach Current Newspaper article indicates that the state is threatening to force the dune project on Margate. ? And, as if that were not enough, they are threatening to set-up all of the equipment and work from Memorial Day – Labor Day, viz. prime tourist season for the tourist town. ? @ the Shore blogger, Glenn Klotz, reports in “The State Tells Margate ‘Make My Day Punk!'”:
JOIN NOW OR ELSE !!? ?The Army / NJDEP ( AKA Cong. Lobiondo’s and Gov. Christie’s gangs) ?have basically issued an ultimatum to Margate yesterday via?Longport. In an article printed in the Downbeach Current yesterday?http://shorenewstoday.com/snt/db/, the NJDEP is claiming ?Longport has made some error in its paper work regarding easements that need to be taken by the city before they start the Army/NJDEP Beach ?Project or before they put it out to bid. ?They ‘re now claiming because of this supposed error the AISPP ?”Margate to Longport” ?phase of the . Project might be delayed till after Memorial Day 2015. How convenient right. ?That would of course mean the summer in Margate would be for all practical purposes null and void in 2015, because if they plan to start in Margate, as they say they’re going to, then from Memorial Day to Labor day 2015 they’ll be on Margate’s beaches. Just think how much fun we’ll all have dodging tractors and spewing pipes. Think they care? Think again, because they don’t. In fact, doing Margate in the middle of the summer would ?be a big fat [F] YOU and the people behind this Project would love to do just that if we don’t get on board now. ?This kind of vengeful nasty behavior is precisely how the Gov. deals with those individuals and communities that get in his way.
Give citizens and elected officials the right to easily place non-binding public questions on every election ballot to determine public opinion on any issue of public importance.
The hills of sand are supposed to act as fortresses that protect Jersey Shore communities from the ravages of the sea.
In the 18 months since Hurricane Sandy, coastline towns awaiting federal beach replenishment projects have dumped hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of sand, building temporary barriers to keep the ocean from surging into homes and streets.
But unless the sand can be stabilized by vegetation, one municipal engineer said, ?They disappear like children?s sand castles at the end of the day.?
?We call them sand castle dunes ? because that?s all they are,? said Elissa Commins, the municipal engineer and flood plain administrator for Brick Township.
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2014/04/along_jersey_shore_towns_build_sandcastle_dunes_as_they_wait_for_federal_beach_projects.html